A high stakes game
by Kounji
Summary: Probelems Fixed! The prologue had to be re- uploaded but the story is intact somewhat now. Chapter four, our finally receives a bit of down town and goes to meet Sharon his operator from Chapters One and Two but danger looms just around the corner. R+R !
1. Prologue

Armored Core, Armored Core 2, Armored Core 2 Another Age are owned by Agetec and From Software. I do not own them  
  
  
  
  
  
A high stakes game prologue: Take it or leave it  
  
  
  
  
  
Over a high sand dune on edge of the Zearm Desert, a meeting amongst a Raven and a representative from the terrorist group, the Indies is being rapped up.  
  
The Raven, who goes by the name Maki, is a bald and rather tall man of Japanese origins. He was dressed in a flight suit that was typical of many of the earth ravens although his suit is brown with green trim, which matches the colors of his Armored Core. It also contained a patch of his emblem across on the left side of his chest, which was comprised of a katana sword and a machine gun crossing each other and a human skull in the middle. His facial features were fairly soft and virtually unscarred for a man in his profession. He had his youth to credit that to.  
  
The colonel, Maki had arranged the meeting with, was not as tall but was in fact a much more stout man than Maki. He carried himself like a stereotypical guerilla commander, walking around the camp shooting off enough machismo to equal a thermonuclear bomb. He was a scruffy face man, who didn't seem to shave to often and judging by his smell, bathe often either. The man also seemed to walk everywhere has if he had been there before. He wore a gray tank top and large camouflage pants along with a camouflage hat with a tiny, gold, metallic leaf on his head signifying he was Colonel.  
  
The meeting was taking place inside of a tent, part of a much larger terrorist camp. They had just begun negotiating the price.  
  
"I couldn't give you the information that I've offered to you for anything less than 100,000 credits, Colonel Hills." Maki spoke, grinning slyly.  
  
Maki knew that the Indies we're looking for any information that could help them in their fight to topple the government. With the dozen or so missions he had done defending their facilities, he had managed to find some opportunities to rob them of crucial information. He would then use this ability to his further funds.  
  
"From what you have told me, I believe it's worth 80,000,the most we're willing to pay any informant. " the scruffy-haired Colonel replied as cigar smoke billowed out of his mouth.  
  
A angered Maki beat his fist against the steel table the two men sat at.  
  
"You have to be kidding me, Colonel, the 80,000 is nice, but what about compensation for all of the danger I took in finding this information. It is surely worth 20,000 more credits." He replied trying to calm himself down.  
  
"If danger is your concern what about all the danger I'm putting my people through for this sale to even take place. For all I know the Earth Government could have followed you out here. Your lucky I've even offered to pay you 80,000. So it's either take it or leave it kid." Hills growled.  
  
Maki was against the wall. He could tell that in this particular situation the ball wasn't in his court. He knew how expensive the cost of operating an AC was getting. So he folded.  
  
"80,000 it is then" he sighed.  
  
The two men extended their hands to each other and shook them confirming the deal.  
  
"It's good that we reached an understanding, I'll get a kid from my technical staff to confirm that the information is accurate at which that point we'll transfer the 80,000 to your account with Concord Corporation." The colonel said proudly. He took his cigar case from what Maki gather and motioned for him to take one. Maki shook his head.  
  
"You young folk now a days you don't have to relax anymore." He preached  
  
Suddenly a young Indies soldier ran in to the tent. He saluted the Colonel as calmly as he could and then spoke.  
  
"Sir, we've just reached contact with a high heat signature approaching the perimeter from the north. It's shaping is common to that of an AC." He replied trembling at the mouth. The Colonel's eyes raised as he turned to cocked his head around at the solider behind him in disbelief  
  
" Order the men to get their MT's immediately, Sergeant" he yelled.  
  
"Yes, Colonel." The man replied, he then darted out of the tent and could already be heard yelling commands at the other men.  
  
"I knew it, you're here to disrupt our operations." The colonel shrieked, rising from his seat.  
  
Maki rose from his seat, bumping into the chair when he moved backwards, while shaking his head in denial.  
  
"I'm not I have no idea how anyone could have possibly found me out here." He argued.  
  
"Well, then you were bugged either way the deal's off. So is your life." The Colonel yelled.  
  
As the Colonel reached for his side arm, a loud, rattling explosion erupted near the tent causing the man to fall to his feet. He scrambled around the sand searching for his sidearm that managed to fall from its holster. A moment later he found it all right, pointed directly at his face and in the hand of Maki.  
  
"No one has ever tried to draw a gun on me and lived Colonel." Maki laughed.  
  
"Same here, Raven" he spoke.  
  
Just has the colonel's words left his mouth, Maki pulled the pistol trigger, which erupted a loud bang, silencing the colonel permanently. He wiped some of the blood that had flown up to his chin with his hand and darted out of Colonel's tent.  
  
Hailing gunfire, and explosions rang off in the east part of the camp signifying the intense fight the colonel's men desperately fought against the attacking AC. Luckily for Maki, his AC wasn't too far west of the Colonel's tent. He ran in the desert night gasping for every breath he could manage as his ran towards his AC. Minutes later, he reached his kneeled down unit, the Bone-Destroyer.  
  
His Armored Core was of a humanoid emerade build, mostly boxy except for its legs of course whose metal muscles were open due to suction cup looking auxiliary boosters, and it's redeye head which was rounded like helmet with an open visor that covered it single "redeye". It's right arm held a small fast firing machine gun while it's right arm boasted a beam wave device on top of its wrist. Over it's shoulders it carried a Napalm missile launcher that had become increasingly popular amongst many of the younger pilots and a an external radar, which was shaped like two wings, one pointed straight into the sky and one pointing into the ground diagonally. His Armored Core was the most comforting sight to see amongst all the violence.  
  
Maki climbed up his unit via small climbing bars along it's side and entered via a small port on its side. The second his butt touched the core's leather seat, he donned the helmet laying to the chair's side and started up all of its systems. Not even bothering to go through his checklist, he sent the unit into combat mode and his right arm locked into attack mode. "I've got to get the hell out of this place while the core's still occupied with those MTs". Maki said without looking at his radar. His core's external camera finally came on and he was greeted with the site of the camp he was just escaped from burning to the ground with pieces of metal from all it's defending MT's scattered across the landscape. After several scans by his radar it had yet picked up a heat signature of any target, which was very eerie to Maki. "I guess the bastard was here for the Indies only and not me." He said. Relieved he spun his AC around and began boosting westward towards his rendezvous point. He laughed with himself about how he had been lucky once again breezing by death.  
  
Suddenly easily a dozen blips appeared on his radar screen. He gasped trying to out turn the supposed missiles but as he strafed and tried to boost turn out of the arch of the missiles it was to no avail. He clenched his teeth when a dozen or so explosions struck the back and right side of his core.  
  
"What the hell was that?" he yelled.  
  
His question was quickly answered when he spotted a fast moving blip on his radar. The highly detailed sensor tagged the target as red triangle, indicating to Maki that it was at the same elevation as him and indeed hostile.  
  
"The AC" he gasped.  
  
Through his view port he could see a small AC, it's silver and blue colors glinting in the moonlight and it's boosters flickering their red flames. It was a beautiful piece of machinery but it was indeed deadly and could only be admired from far away, or Maki thought. Quickly, The raven's perspective changed when two solid shots assaulted his ac's front chest. It took a moment of shock for Maki to even make sense of the situation he was in and he retreated by taking up into the air backwards. Trying to take the attack to the enemy core, Maki lowered his aim down toward the enemy core and let loose before his unit even got a solid lock. While he was aiming down, the enemy core had been initiating over boost and by the time his shots rained toward the desert sands the enemy core was well behind him.  
  
"Holy shit, it's like he knows what I'm going to do before I even freaking do it. " Maki yelled as turned his core in a circle as quickly as he could.  
  
In doing this maneuver he had completely lost sight of his attacker. His radar gave little more indication but could only tell him that they were close. Suddenly, a realization popped in to his head.  
  
"In circling, I've opened myself up to another missile barrage. He should be bearing down on me soon unless…" Maki frantically thought.  
  
He immediately engaged his AC's overboost system, which in turn opened up two exhaust ports on the back of his core that exploded into a great flame emerging out of his core. This blast of neon white-hot green propelled his AC at nearly a thousand kilometers a second across the desert landscape, and away from imminent danger. Due to quick acceleration that his AC was under going, Maki gritted his teeth at the excruciating pain of his heart pounding hastily, and at disorienting inertia that battled his body's nerves. Despite how much pain he was going through, and how much energy his core was using, Maki wasn't going disengage from over-boosting until his energy was almost gone.  
  
With his energy levels severally dropping he disengaged his over boost system, his core automatically engaging its brakes, but because he was boosting across soft ground his AC simply continued to slide across the sand, forcing him to counter the moment he had worked so hard to gain.  
  
Getting his bearings again, the pilot noticed in the upper left corner of his electronic display that his missile warning had been going off during the entire escape maneuver and that three missiles were dead on his tail. Reflexively, Maki leapt the Bone- Destroyer into air, twisting it to the right, while retreating in the same direction he was heading for before. Meanwhile, the missiles came within fifty meters of him. Maki bit his lip.  
  
The first missile, which was directly in front of him by now, was destroyed by his Emerade core's very own laser missile interception system, safely exploding it in front of him. Even though Maki had pushed his core to the left, the second and third missiles careened in to the destroyer's sides, their pure force throwing the mech aside, weakening his armor as well as exploding metal shrapnel outward. To make matters worse, a siren had been sounding off on his core, his core's cooling unit had reached its limit. Maki knew gravely well that his core's armor was weakening to the building heat pressure inside. A few well-placed shots would go right through the core.  
  
"If I get through this I'm taking my mechanic's advice and getting a more efficient radiator. Maki yelled, as he prepared himself for further onslaught." If I get though this alive."  
  
While his AC had taken damage his silver-blue aggressor had taken into a pursuit after him. The blip neared closer and closer in range of the bone destroyer napalm missile launcher. Maki knew he would need to send a blow equally as brutal, so he switched over to his and missile launcher waiting for it to lock on.  
  
His opponent had shown that they were highly capable and deadly persistent in their pursuit to kill him. They didn't really seem like they were going to let up anytime soon.  
  
  
  
The mecha of blue and white cut ahead t. Shooting rounds wildly from its sniper rifle, the unit pressed ahead towards it's prey, knowingly within the range of a deadly weapon.  
  
Maki, who was waiting for the core, grinned like a bastard when he saw that he locked on two missiles at the unit. He jinked to his left as the first shot came, barely squeezing by the round, and then to the right instantly just before the second shot could hit him. "Take this you son of a bitch" Maki yelled, his adrenaline pumping.  
  
A moment later, he fired them at his target and hoped for them to hit. As they shot ahead, he meanwhile switched back to his trusty machine gun while he flew the bone destroyer toward his enemy. In the distance, he saw his enemy, in its lighter core lure his missiles to the right, and take to the left at the last moment, effectively dodging the missile barrage. Undaunted by the miss, Maki slowly came into gun range and when his targeting indicator went red, sprayed bullets from the pistol like machine gun with impunity. His white and blue opponent danced around his targeting screen, boosting to his right, leaping into the air as it gained holes into its armored legs. Maki leapt into the air and circled left attempting to keep the attacker in sights. He looked at his radar for guidance but instead was startled to see that the enemy had found it's way behind him once again. He had given his pursuer all he had and there was barely fight left in Maki. He had to run.  
  
Instinctively, he set the destroyer to overboost like before, gritting his teeth, hoping he would survive for seconds or more. He sensed it might be a moment too late as the booster ignited and shot the unit at the same screaming speed it did before. While enduring the pain of being thrown across the desert at close to the speed of mach one, Maki looked up at his radar again and noticed that the pilot had followed him during over boost at the same speed.  
  
"There's no winning with you is there." Maki snapped at the raven sarcastically over a communication link.  
  
"As if winning was ever an option for you anyways." A soft calm voice of a woman said.  
  
Knowing that he would probably get thrown against the side of core, Maki strafed left during the boost in an attempt to shake the aggressor. Suddenly though, his core pulled out of over boost abruptly and the core screeched to a halt. His energy indicator was empty, a problem that usually resulted in the death of pilots moment later. Maki cursed himself as he heard the sounds of a flaming engine behind him and a screeching halt. A moment later, the pilot felt a rush of white heat from the relatively large energy blade from his opponent, just before the darkness of oblivion gripped him. Explosions rippled, resulting in the death of the unit known as the Bone-Destroyer. The night became silent once again, with its only victor departing towards a safe haven, as well as a hefty payment to look forward.  
  
  
  
Chapter One:  
  
  
  
"Alright we're giving him just five more minutes." An uneasy Lieutenant Chaltu yelled to his subordinates around him. The lieutenant along with his small military force of light walker assault MT's from the Neo Isaac bureau waited anxiously near a small manufacturing plant on the edge of the massive city. A terrorist group had taken over the building just five hours ago, asking for release of one of their main leaders, Edwin Paulson. Negotiations have slowly deteriorated and in the previous hour the group stated they would kill one of their hostages every hour. By Chaltu's account. There were only about ten minutes until they would kill the first.  
  
"Hold on you got to give the raven some more time, maybe he's just making sure he's chosen the right plan of action." One of his veteran female sergeants pleaded.  
  
"Side tracked my foot if that bastard, what's his name?" The lieutenant started.  
  
"Edge, sir" the sergeant replied  
  
"Right, Edge is probably smoking a god-damned cigarette again. McHale, Get on his com and tell him to move in now, or he could forget about his thirty- thousand." The lieutenant shrieked.  
  
The middle-aged sergeant snapped to attention and punched in some commands into her MT and was quickly able to establish communications with the mercenary.  
  
"Edge, this Sergeant McHale, do you copy?" she called into her head mounted microphone.  
  
"Edge here, go ahead." A grizzly voice replied back.  
  
"You've been ordered by the lieutenant to move in immediately, the terrorists will execute the hostage in just a few minutes and there's no way we're giving into their demands. Make short work of the terrorist and try not to kill any of the hostages." McHale ordered. "I think that's simple enough for an old bastard like your self eh, Edge.?  
  
"Let just say this, if I don't clean them out in five minutes I owe you dinner and a movie, if I can, you owe me a new pack of cigs and a forty ounce of beer."  
  
"Wait but I lose either way, I hate wimpy dates, and I'd have to give you something I love myself." The sergeant laughed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In an region where the ground is constantly shifting and sand is always concealing what is before you, dark individuals can easily do their business. This is where people like terrorist, criminals, and wanderers thrive to 


	2. Deadline

Wow it's been awhile since I updated but this chapter is as finish as I need it to be. You'll find out what I mean at the end and is something I'm actually quite proud of. Let's recap from the prologue. A Raven, dealing with the Indies, gets his just desserts when he's ambushed and killed by an AC piloted by a mysterious femal. Sounds fun. Try tying the prologue to this chapter. I bet it'll make your head but try a few chapter's later and I bit it'll feel real nice  
  
Anyways AC is owned by From software. They own the core's I own the characters and with out further a due. A story  
  
  
  
Deck One: Deadline  
  
  
  
"Alright we're giving him just five more minutes." An uneasy Lieutenant Chaltu yelled to his subordinates around him. The lieutenant along with his small military force of light walker assault MT's from the Neo Isaac bureau waited anxiously near a small manufacturing plant on the edge of the massive city. A terrorist group had taken over the building just five hours ago, asking for release of one of their main leaders, Edwin Paulson. Negotiations have slowly deteriorated and in the previous hour the group stated they would kill one of their hostages every hour. By Chaltu's account. There were only about ten minutes until they would kill the first. The air in that part of the city had become very still and a deaf silence had begun to set in along the area.  
  
"Hold on you got to give the raven some more time, maybe he's just making sure he's chosen the right plan of action." One of his veteran female sergeants pleaded.  
  
"Side tracked my foot if that bastard, what's his name?" The lieutenant started.  
  
"Edge, sir" the sergeant replied  
  
"Right, Edge is probably smoking a god-damned cigarette again. McHale, Get on his com and tell him to move in now, or he could forget about his thirty- thousand." The lieutenant shrieked.  
  
Sharon McHale, The middle-aged sergeant, snapped to attention and punched in some commands into her MT and was quickly able to establish communications with the mercenary.  
  
"Edge, this Sergeant McHale, do you copy?" she called into her head mounted microphone.  
  
"Edge here, go ahead." A grizzly voice replied back.  
  
"You've been ordered by the lieutenant to move in immediately, the terrorists will execute a hostage in just a few minutes and there's no way we're giving into their demands. Make short work of the terrorist and try not to kill any of the hostages." McHale ordered. "I think that's simple enough for an old bastard like your self eh, Edge.?  
  
"Let just say this, if I don't clean them out in five minutes I owe you dinner and a movie, if I can, you owe me a new pack of cigs and a forty ounce of beer." Edge said.  
  
"Wait but I lose either way, I hate wimpy dates, and I'd have to give you something I love myself." The sergeant laughed.  
  
"Fine, equal spoils for the lady then" Edge said, sounding somewhat surprised  
  
"Hop to it, I like Unired regulars." Sharon ordered in a cocky manner  
  
  
  
"God damn it, if you two don't stop flirting this instant, I'm putting a damn contract out on you Edge, and Mchale you'll get court–marshaled no matter how good your freaking record is." The lieutenant shrieked, hurting both of the pilots' ears.  
  
  
  
"Ok, Edge you heard the man, wreak havoc or it'll be both our Asses" Mchale said seriously.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Edge, regrettably putting out his cigarette against the backing of his core, did a final weapons check before sprinting his AC "Scion Blade" towards the occupied warehouse. Edge had done this sort of mission many times before, so many times before that he could almost predict exactly where terrorists would place most of their forces in an industrial building, like this manufacturing warehouse, and exploit it. It was something he prided himself on but seldom bragged about. His current employer, the earth government, knew of his abilities as well.  
  
These particular terrorists known as the Indies, from what he experienced in the past, had managed to gain decent fairly modern MT's at an alarming rate, but from what he knew from previous encounters with them, they gained inexperienced pilots along with them. Their goal: to overthrow the corrupt earth government no matter the costs. A noble goal, considering it was common knowledge that the government was largely corrupts, but a very impossible one. It had been rumored that the Indies were funded by a very wealthy corporation and Edge had been in the game long enough to know it had to be Zio Matrix, Balena, or Emerade, the three largest corporations in the all of human civilization. From his deep ranged radar, he could tell that they had at least a dozen units with them but experience told him to be on his guard for possibly more. He would have to move in now with his Scion Blade if he was going to meet his self-created, five-minute deadline.  
  
His unit, a balanced mixture of efficient Emerade and sporty Zio Matrix parts, easily began to electronically hack through one of the warehouse side entry doors. Lucky for him he had opted for the a newer ZHD-8008/S model head with it's fifth level hacking system, otherwise the mission could have ended for him right there. As the procedure began, his sensors had already picked up on three units waiting by the double thick steel doors. "As usual they underestimate AC's, damn radicals." Edge hummed in his thoughts.  
  
He switched over to his old trusty missile launcher and his core promptly began locking missiles on to each one of the indies' mecha. After a few automated commands transferred from his AC to the door, his computer chimed and the door opened. As the first hallway became revealed to the pilot, Edge fired a volley of missiles at his unsuspecting targets. One after another the three units crumbled from the deadly missiles and their parts lay scorched and scattered across the hallway. The pilot took his unit quickly through the hallway. Assisted by the blade's strong boosters, he leapt over the broken units and shot ahead towards the plants second door. According to his computer, this one only had a level two lock, and Edge could get through it with relative ease. After electronically opening the door, Edge walked the Scion blade onto the lift in front of him and promptly activated the lift's system to get him moving towards the bottom  
  
  
  
"This lift should take you down into plants very own boiling rooms where all of the alloys are produced to make civilian machinery parts. Mchale lectured  
  
"Sounds great, but don't you mean alloys for Military Armor" Edge roughly corrected.  
  
"I can't entirely acknowledge that." She laughed  
  
"Figures, Well, anyways I shouldn't encounter too much resistance in this area considering their cheap mecha don't have the radiating equipment or high heat thresholds to hold position here for too long" Edge stated.  
  
"Hey you're the expert just remember, over five minutes and you're buying your own drink. You're at under four minutes left now, and counting." Mchale yelled.  
  
Mchale was definitely right about that. There was less then four minutes left and Edge had only taken down three of the twelve terrorist units. Edge almost began to think he wouldn't make it. The lift neared its stop just a few hundred meters down. Moments from reaching his stop, the tempered solider felt something was not quite right with this operation, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong. His system diagnostics had come out entirely green, but Edge still felt that there was something very wrong. As he approached the lift's destination the air became more and more distorted from the heat in the environment. Mchale suddenly interrupted edge on the radio.  
  
"Edge, something's up, I think the Indies might be setting up a trap, be on your guard. Sensors are known to be in areas of extreme heat." The pilot yelled with a hint of fear in her voice.  
  
Just then the elevator stopped, it's double steel doors opening to reveal at least four walker MTs standing just a few meters from the exit point, every unit well distanced yet still creating a choke point for their target, their guns all trained directly on the scion blade.  
  
"Shit" yelled Edge, unable to find a better word to describe his situation.  
  
The seasoned pilot sprung into action and a shot ahead, dodging back and forth has he attacked that right most target. The weaker enemy mech pilot was a good shot, managing to tag the blade with every machine gun round his unit's rotating barrel fired. Sadly, the riddling bullets hitting his core's armored chest didn't daunt Edge much, and he continued to press on until he came within blade range of his prey. Edge quickly charged up the external blade from his unit's left arm and swung the beam through the center of the enemy cockpit. The walker exploded, shooting fire a twisted metal into air.  
  
Not taking any time to really revel in his kill, Edge boosted backwards away from the lifeless mech, and it's still shooting comrades, to retreat further into the room. He found refuge behind one of the facilities four large boilers. Meanwhile The units turned and walked in chase of the AC. Taking advantage of the MT's slow turning ability, Edge maneuvered his Scion Blade as speedily as he could around the large boiling tank. Edge fired some shots from his unit's green semi-automatic rifle at the closer of the two center targets. The solid rounds slammed into boxy MT core, and upon connecting to the unit's power source, exploded the terrorist unit in a brilliant fire, in front of his comrade. Edge, not afraid of dueling MTs up close, flew ahead towards the center target, while remaining cautious of oncoming fire from the other walker in the room. Edge's prey, obviously disturbed from the two lost comrades near him, fired furiously. His shots, misdirected and unfocused, flew just meters above the oncoming AC. Quickly, that pilot's life ended too, as fast as Edge sliced his MT's core open with his yellow plasma blade. The core laid split like a hair, its two sides still burning fresh along it's formerly joined middle.  
  
The last unit remaining in the room, with all of it's comrades dead, ran as fast as it's reverse jointed legs would carry it towards the back of the room. Edge quickly spun his AC around towards the retreating and still firing mech. Escape was very futile for his target, yet he admired the man's resilience to live. Sadly, he couldn't let him. Edge promptly locked his rifle on the retreating target, and fired. Four shots to the MT's core were enough to pierce through the light armor, explode the generator, and effectively silence the walker.  
  
A few sweat drops, seeping from Edge's forehead, trickled down his face onto the pilot's padded black flight suit. He wouldn't want to admit it, but that engagement had spooked him. As he whipped some of the sweat from his drenched eyebrows, he received a friendly call, from the sergeant.  
  
"Edge, you ok, you seem to be sweating, the kitchen too much for you, or the deadline." Sharon asked warmly  
  
"I'm fine, That's just the environment getting to me. I don't need you baby- sitting me" He replied, sensing that the government pilot was mocking him.  
  
"Good to know I don't have a baby to sit. You should be glad to know you have two minutes and forty-three seconds to dispatch the terrorists before I win our little bet." Sharon hummed.  
  
"Ya, mind giving me a push?" Edge asked annoyed.  
  
"That's what I get paid for. Um, The remaining terrorists should be five floors above your current position. Satellite shows them to be holed up in the assembly area. The lift you need should be to the east. Don't let me down." Sharon replied.  
  
After a moment's rest, the pilot once again took control of Scion Blade, and boosted the AC along the large space between the boiling tanks, towards the east wall of the room. Scanning along the wall with his eyes, he spotted the lift Sharon mentioned near the tank in the far right of the room. He quickly set his AC onto the large lift and engaged it, setting the platform for the assembly level. The lift hummed as it ascended the facility.  
  
"Not much time left." Edge thought safely within his sweat soaked pilot seat.  
  
"Ok, well those four mt's, plus the three in the hallway mean I've taken out seven. The last five, which probably include the leader, are in the assembly area. That doesn't account for personnel, but this shouldn't be two hard." He continued thinking.  
  
From a quick scan of radar, Edge noticed that his scanner showed all of the units, five has he figured, to be on the same floor. His radar though wasn't reading their relative distances from each other. Edge however, trusted his experience over technology and decided to figure it out for himself.  
  
"Now if I were them I would probably have the personnel in the room guard the hostage with assistance from one MT while everyone else guards the entry points. That means there are two guarding each door, but since they know I'm coming this way…"  
  
Caught directly in the middle of his thoughts, Edge found himself seconds from another enemy encounter. The pilot dropped his thoughts for a moment and sprung into action. Quickly, he deployed missile decoys from his core's inside compartment and distanced himself away from the floating objects. Sadly though he knew he probably wouldn't get away from this encounter has the door sprung open, revealing three slightly large MT's but still of the walker variety with green disc shaped core's. The fourth core was nowhere in plain sight, but that was the furthest thing from his mind has six missiles launched toward him.  
  
  
  
  
  
(Flashy opening music in back ground) Voice Actress of Sharon- Things look bad for the AC tactical specialist, Edge. Will he be able to walk away from this encounter unscathed. And better yet will he win his bet with Sharon with just a minute left. Better yet, will the fic author be able to come out with another update in a week or be two month's late as usual. All of these questions and more will be answered when we see: A high stakes game Deck Two: Broken Dreams from a Long forgotten soul (working title)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In an region where the ground is constantly shifting and sand is always concealing what is before you, dark individuals can easily do their business. This is where people like terrorist, criminals, and wanderers thrive to 


	3. 8x5

Howdy folks, I hope three weeks isn't too long for an update,. I've been working way to much for my own good lately as well as slacking. Anyways this chapter will rap up a great introduction to the main character as chapter three or"deck three" will get this story moving along. Well, without further a do , a story.  
  
Deck Two: 8x5  
  
  
  
Barely grasping the situation unfolding ahead of him, Edge rushed his core backwards into the rear of the large yet still small elevator. His hope was that the missiles would chase the decoys he hurriedly deployed. They didn't. Instead, the small salvo of missiles broke passed the orbiting defenses and keeled in ward toward their prey. Maybe they weren't producing their heat signature's properly but the person who depended on them didn't have to time to dwell on that, he had his life to still worry about.  
  
Edge knew that he would heavily damage his core if he over boosted toward the strong duracrete wall to his right or left. In the split second that the events were occurring, his well honed instincts kicked in, telling him that his core needed to be moving to the right of the elevator, and out of it fast. His core pushed to the side quickly, as his hands dance over the controls. The two missiles on his far left, slammed into the wall behind him, giving it a blackened texture. The next closest two shot past him very close as he was almost out of the lift, narrowly missing his boosters blue flumes. Steps out of the confined space, his core shuttered loudly, has two missiles exploded the Scion blades' left side, catering their points of impact and exploding in bright flames across it's reinforce armor. Edge grunted, yet didn't lose his concentration as he assaulted the right most disk shaped unit with his blade, causing a deep horizontal gash across its head, while knocking the dead walking mecha on its back.  
  
Relieved that he was still quite alive, he could finally make some more sense of the situation and get a look of the surroundings as he shot through the emptier section of the room. He had escaped, conveniently into the facilities automated manufacturing area Parallel conveyer belts made up most of the room, connected to presses that shaped molded alloys into parts and furthered the process as it ran deep into the facility. As he had put a little distance between himself and the Indie fighters, a quick turn to look behind him was met by plasma burst to his core's chest. His core's chest armor had become weakened and had heated up pretty well weakening his core's armor threshold far lower than the pilot wanted. Its legs fought to grip the steel floor as the unit's braking system slowed the machine's momentum, so that its pilot could propel himself back toward his targets. His weapons switched over to missiles, Edge darted back and forth, boosting past a support pillar each time dodging the left most opponent's plasma shots until he locked a good five missiles on to him. He grinned has he fired the salvo at the less agile mech. The five fiery streaks all hit their target exploding it in to pieces across the factory floor. At the same time is other door greeter, let loose it's a dual flight of missiles at the blade, a last act of revenge for his nine fallen comrades. Edge strafed his core right, comfortably out of the missiles arch, and retaliated by sending five well-trained shots in rapid succession towards the center of the target. The one by one his shots dented the area around the MT cockpit, except for the last shot which cracked the transparent steel shielding it's pilot. Now pilot less, the MT walked under it's own will forward and was effectively harmless.  
  
After Edges attacks, the enemy's strength had been effectively cut and the takeover stopped. There was, however, a unit left, a unit that hadn't entirely slipped his mind, but didn't present itself as a threat either. Edge took himself towards the blue blip on his radar, scanning the surroundings with his eyes as well. The targets heat signature was low, way to low to be an AC, but Edge wasn't going to take chances. He eased his way closer and closer towards the blip getting increasing closer to towards the room's loading dock. As he passed by one of the pressing units of the manufacturing areas, Edge could hear a , like of pressure being released from above. He bit into his lip in intrigue has steam coated the room from above into the room; effectively fogging it's confines.  
  
"Watch your ass, Edge I don't like this" Sharon exclaimed in a downbeat tone.  
  
"No shit." Edge yelled loudly, his eyes scanning continuously around the room in front of him  
  
Suddenly Edge could here sounds coming from a loudspeaker, but the steam shooting over him made it's muffled its contents rendering its contents impossible to understand. He promptly engage his the scion blade's head mounted noise canceling system and an instant later he could hear the voice  
  
"You raven, who has defeated my comrades, expect me to surrender but you will get no such pleasure from me. My comrades sacrifices shall drive me to defeat you."  
  
"I've heard it before." Edge laughed contemptuously. "Now, hand over the hostage and you'll have time to reconsider your options. I've killed too many today"  
  
"The Foreign Minister to Mars, Daniel Louis Killian, victimizes the people living under the Earth government's tyranny by representing the Earth government's policies and not it's people. Without him we wouldn't have had a Civil Commotion on Mars and not have lost that many lives. He, my friend must atone for his crimes."  
  
"Hey, I didn't vote for him either pal, but killing him isn't going to do anything."  
  
" I see, there's no use arguing with you, you and all the other raven's are just pawns. You're pawns, for the corporations, and the corrupt government. You'll see you won't be able to turn a blind eye for much longer." The man laughed hopelessly.  
  
Suddenly, Edge heard the terrorist leader approaching, from where he did not know, nor could he even pinpoint, but it was closing. He rotated the unit searching the dark, clouded assembly area but couldn't make out anything further than 50 feet in front of him. The room suddenly was filled with deafening machine gun fire as the enemy target attacked him. His targeting computer, finding a sufficient heat source to track, locked edge's gun automatically to the target firing in front of him. The scion blade fled into the sky as Edge commanded it, and holding his lock the pilot emptied rifle shots into the terrorist target. Yet after firing 6 six shots it hadn't even flinched or begun to explode. Weaving in and out of the terrorist's line of fire, yet still pressing towards the target, Edge descended quickly, swooping in the leader's MT. Taking some slight fire to his ac's right arms as he landed, he discharged his laser sword quickly from his left arm, and slashed across the MT 3 times in rapid succession, causing the unit's ammo to exploded from its holds all across the unit. The scion blade back stepped, as Edge began distancing itself away from the dying unit. Edge's trained brown eyes squinted as a brighter explosion emerging from the unit blinded him.  
  
"Just remember Raven, no matter how much of hot shot you think you are, you're worth nothing to them. Nothing…" the terrorist cried has he was silenced.  
  
Edge opened his eyes again, as the unit keeled over, collapsing on to concrete floor. Drenched in dozens of sweat droplets, Edge smiled in great celebration, the mission was accomplished. Calming himself, Edge took a deep breath of relieve, slouching in his pilot seat as much as his restraints would allow. He was in need of a cigarette really bad. He took a moment to whip sweat from his brow before reaching to his side to grab the pack of cigs he started on earlier. Not the moment his fingertips had touched the pack, he noticed out of the corner of his eye a speeding projectile fly across his view monitor. Quickly he sat up and rotated Scion in the direction the projectile flew and watched in horror has as a small transport truck was tossed into air in an engulfing fire. Edge suddenly became wide eyed and knocked over the pack of cigs has he rotated the core in the direction the projectile came from. He could see nothing but a red light, shining brightly behind the smoke, and then a moment later it had there was nothing. Edge over boosted quickly toward the corner has the light silently went off but has he slowed down and reached the corner of the room, the steam had dissipated and there was nothing there. Not a hole in the wall no point of entry nothing.  
  
The pilot cursed himself to death and as the words "Mission failed" scrolled across his data screen. Across the radio channel he could hear the frantic voices of military personnel trying to make since of the situation. As the voice of an angered Chatlu began to ring in his ears like the sound of drums pounding, it had become more of a reality to him as well a truth that he would never be ready to accept. The Foreign Secretary to Mars was dead and it was his folly that made it so.  
  
***  
  
The trip home via land transport had been full of regret and brooding for Edge. When he had finally reached his core's home garage at dusk that evening, instead of opting to have one of the garage tech's do it for him, Edge taxied, or brought his core to it's docking bay himself. In his angered mood no one was going to be controlling his armored core, but him tonight.  
  
From what many people had told him, when Edge messed up he turned into the worst possible enemy he could to himself. Today wasn't an exception. He spent the whole ride home that night replaying the events in his mind, seeking an answer that would at least allow him to explain his failures. No matter how many times he checked, Edge's findings were too minor or bleak for him to figure out how he had no indication that the foreign minister was still endangered. Even further, he wondered exactly what the red light he saw could have to do with it. He felt as if his instincts that he had become so accustomed to placing trust in, had failed him miserably.  
  
White-hot steam sprayed from the Scion Blade's Black and Orange colored arms and legs as it finally came to rest within its home docking bay, within Garage X1-010B2. With less will or energy than he had earlier, Edge slowly began to shut down all of his core's energy controls one by one, sighing as he shut off the last one. In an instant, he was in darkness for a small dome light above him. Under it's small luminance, he sulked on his pilot couch, brooding over the events that had occurred earlier.  
  
"It just doesn't add up, why would the Indies leader have sacrificed himself if there was one more unit left? Why wouldn't they coordinate." he thought while he released the couch's confining restraints.  
  
Edge, still feeling puzzled, exited the tattered core and made his way out onto the upper walkway of the Garage. He stiffly and angrily walked until he reached a near by ladder and quickly climbed down it's steel bars. As he reached the bottom of the ladder, he heard heavy footsteps and the sound of clanking tools behind him.  
  
"Now I know that there has to be only one tech that would be foolish enough to try to sneak up on me with that many tools on his belt, and that hard of a step. Leland!" Edge laughed as he released his grip turning to meet his old friend.  
  
"And there's only one Raven that come in here with core looking like complete hell and get away with it because he looks worse. " Leland responded laughing almost harder.  
  
Leland had become one of Edge's most trusted friends since he decided to base himself at the garage six years before. The tech didn't look more than a few years older than edge but was a little bit shorter and showed bleak signs of gray near his ear. His hair for the most part was brown, and his eyes of a jade green. The tech being faithful to his very non –cosmetic nature bared a constant five 'o clock shadow much like Edge, and a grease stained tan jump suit with an old ac unit patch on his shoulders.  
  
The two friends almost immediately started walking away from the unit and walked across the semi- busy garage deck.  
  
"So how was it today?" Leland asked.  
  
"She handled very well out there, although the brakes on the ELN-02A legs felt like they had been worn down a bit, not to mention that the ZAN- 202/TEM arms aren't rotating really well when I switch over to my rifle or swing the ELS-3443." Edge sighed  
  
"I meant for you" Leland asked, looking slightly annoyed  
  
"Oh, pretty freaking bad, the foreign secretary to Mars is dead and his blood is on my hands"  
  
"Holy shit, Edge, that is pretty freaking bad, I would feel like complete shit right now if I was you".  
  
Edge stared blankly towards the technician. Leland wasn't what edge would consider the best person to talk to after a personal failure.  
  
"Sorry, blasted exhaust gets to you after a little bit. So you messed up pretty bad I figure. Don't worry Edge it's not like it isn't the first time. This just happens to be more important than the others. Besides you've failed only twice in like ten years of being of pilot that's got to amount for something." Leland suggested.  
  
"I'm not worried about finding more jobs, Leland, I'm worried about getting rusty. There were so many things I wasn't quite ready for this time. I feel like I've completely lost whatever that great thing was that everybody thinks I have." Edge answered sounding almost apologetic.  
  
  
  
" Listen, Edge I would love to sit here and watch you beat yourself up over this, but I do have other clients' AC's to work on here. Get some rest, man. Drink, watch some Arena, do something. I'll see if I can get repair work started on your arms and your core parts by tonight. I think as far as the legs go, you're going to need a new braking optional part; those things only have like a seven year life span." Leland replied optimistically  
  
"Thanks partner, say you just reminded me, I have to set up a drinking date with this one operator. She sounds like a fox, but I've been disappointed before" Edge replied, conforming partially to the idea of cheering up.  
  
"Crikey, maybe I need to let a diplomat get killed, then maybe I'll get a date. Oh well I guess I'll have to deal with all the run-of-the-mill technician groupies. You know all of those young nubile women I need to beat off with a stick. "Leland sighed sarcastically.  
  
Yeah, right, see ya around Leland" Edge replied, waving before turning away and walking towards a personnel elevator at the end of the docking section.  
  
Admittedly, Edge's mood had become cheerful when he entered the empty elevator's confines. The lift transported him smoothly above the garage section of the building, into its residential area. These facilities weren't nearly as cushy as the ones the Nerves Concord operated on the other side of Old Isaac, but they were home and Edge found comfort and solace amidst its imperfections. It wasn't perceived as odd to find ravens that wanted to have facilities independent of the Concord's own. In fact, it was quite welcome in most cases. The garages of the Nerves Concord were constantly busy, its staff continually praying that many pilots would come up with their own garage facilities and residences to relieve pressure. Indeed this was what the Heaven's Arc was, a facility owned independently of the Nerves Concord Corporation to give at least a few of it's pilots an alternative in terms of lodging and ac maintenance. Heaven's Arc performed all of the duties needed by its pilot tenants without all the pizzazz or class, except for arena challenges which had to made from a pilots own private console, or terminal as it was once called through the Concords usual network portal. The fee's for joining up with the arc were a little bit more than he would have paid for the services the Concord's operations, but Edge deemed not having a tech accidentally remove his core's arms and give him someone else's bullet riddled arms worth shelling out an few extra hundred credits a month.  
  
As the lift's doors opened to the floor containing the pilots own berth, his anticipation for turning in for the night reached its peak. If he wasn't so tired he would have jogged off the elevator to his apartment with glee, but instead the pilot walked down the long dim hallway. As he neared his apartment which was mid-way down the hall, he could make out excited hollers and yells, originating from a room further down, . As he approached it further, he could hear the distorted the sounds of machine gun bursts and wildly exploding metal emanating from a surround sound pushed to its limits. Yeager, his wife who went by Ultima, and one of other 's Arc's tenants, Hellcat, must have been having one of their coveted "arena nights" as they called them, again. It would be futile to bother them as they hollered and screamed for the Armored Core pilots dueling it out over television.  
  
Upon opening the door, Edge found that his room was indeed in the same condition he had left it, dirty clothes, and unorganized documents strung across the across his living room floor. Being careful not to upset the balance of the room or injure himself for that matter, he slowly tiptoed his way into his bedroom in the rear of the apartment. The pilot threw himself onto the bed, which to his own amazement was prepared. He didn't even bother to get out of his flight suit as laid on his stomach, his tense arms angling loosely over the bed' side. His body was relaxed, less tense than before, his mind was not. His thoughts about the incident earlier stressed out his mind further, causing the cold feeling of failure to wallow in his stomach.  
  
The pilot curiously turned his head glancing at his computer that he would have to turn on eventually. As he panned closer to his nightstand to check the time on his alarm clock, his eyes stopped short, fixed instead on a tiny 8x5 portrait of a young beautiful red head, her arms resting on the shoulders of clean and- shaven young man. "Samantha" he spoke aloud.  
  
Looking at the woman again initially brought him further pain, his last memories of her so dark and tainted. When he remembered the times when the picture was taken though, he thoughts became warmer. She was his lover. He was regretful of how he had lost her. The Foreign Secretary, even though Edge didn't know him outside of holovision and the Interplanetary Networks, was lost too, and someone out there tonight would grieve him. Twice he had failed now. He lied there on the bed dismally thinking, about how alone he was now, how his life was without her. Edge was happy however that he was in fact alive and that was due to an astute operator.  
  
He remembered however that he would have to set a date with Mchale. She was part of the reason he was still alive tonight. Tomorrow, he would have to thank her proper with a drink and a pack of unired regulars.  
  
"I'm slacking again, Sammie" he thought internally, as if he was speaking to her directly. Edge smirked at the portrait, nudging it with his finger, as he pulled himself up off his bed. He powered up his computer console, quickly bringing up his consoles messaging system to leave a short note for the young operator. Noon sounded like a safe time to set with her, so he typed in a quick message, simple and to the point, and sent it to her. Powering his computer down, Edge gave a quiet sigh, and plopped himself down into bed again. His mind drifted as he fell into slumber.  
  
  
  
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Voice actress of Sharon.- Wow, it's so sad to see our hero in such deep remorse about his past losts. Next time Edge, meets me but will he be in for more than he bargained for. (tee hee) We'll see next time in… Two People Met in a Bar… Read and Review please, thanks.. 


	4. Two People met in a bar

Howdy folks, I hope two weeks isn't too long for an update, I've been working way too much for my own good lately as well as slacking. Anyways this chapter will rap up a great introduction to the main character as chapter three or "deck three" will get this story moving along. Well, without further a do, a story.

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Deck Three: Two people met in a bar 

It was two in the afternoon; Edge had only gotten up thirty minutes before his date and his appearance showed it. His hair was half combed, ruffled to a T, and he had neglected relieving himself of his five o'clock shadow once more. He managed to throw on his five-year worn leather jacket, sporting his AC' emblem as a shoulder patch, a white shirt, and some long un-ironed blue jeans. A good night's sleep the day before betrayed him, and he was forced to race his Aoji 100cc bike from his apartment in Old Isaac, to the secure elevator to Neo Isaac. He slowly released the throttle off his bike as he turned on Falken Street, edging closer and closer until he reached a bar small building with an old sign on it. Edge knew it to be an Old Norse glyph of some kind. Edge had arrived at the tavern. He dismounted from the bike carrying his blue helmet with its reflective glare shield, to his side.

Heimdal's Tavern, The name of the bar Sharon had chose to meet him at was another one of the world's ironies. Some Viking god that watched over the bridge that connected the land of the gods to the land of humans was a reference to Neo Isaac 's large elevator to the Old Isaac; the crowning achievement that would bring humanity back to the surface. The tavern was only a few blocks away from Neo Isaac's main gate. Upon stepping through the tavern's open door, Edge found his eyes adjusting quickly to the darker luminance of the bar. Heimdal's walls, tables, chairs, and even the floor were made of dark, old polished wood fairly lit by old classic light bulbs hanging by old rusted chains from the ceiling; It was old and established, it had nothing to prove.

The tavern that afternoon was chock full of patrons, from government soldiers, and freelance mercs, to corporate businessmen, most of them looking to be in their thirties and above. Closest to the bar were many of the government soldiers, backs hunched over the table, their liquored faces easily in reach of more harmful drink. It was sad thing to see but Edge had been there and still hadn't left. The tables, to the left of the bar, however were filled with businessmen with there, suits, laptops, and conservative haircuts to boot. Most of them were busy sharing tales of their trivial lives over a few bottles of hard liquor. Edge knew it then, Heimdal served as a bridge between the warriors of the world and the peasants who built it.  Sharon had some social taste, and if he could manage to find her he would tell her that. 

Sharon had been as vague as she could be on her appearance. "You'll know me when you find me" she told him. Edge knew she had some character to her. She was a flirtatious smart ass with a soldier girl's flare. Sadly, though there were four other women like that in the bar.  One, a brunette of about Edge's height, was seated around the middle of the bar.  Obviously by the beat redness hugging under her cheeks she was plastered. For a bar jockey she came of as being homely with a rounder softer face with green eyes. Her body was slender, exhibiting small perky breasts, and incredibly perk butt by Edge's or anyone else standards. She could have been Sharon, but she was plastered and would probably be the last person he would talk to.

Edge glanced at the one smiling in spite of his feel of pity and moved further in the establishment the other girl he had seen was seated around the table with his other choices. Edge had nicknamed her red. She was short with nearly a foot shorter than Edge. Her European features weren't overly cute but they were good enough; short, slightly chubby, but large nice size rack. She seemed be the quiet one of the group, anything she said falling short to her own anxieties towards the women she was with. The woman in the middle was drastically different from here counterpart to the right of her. She was raven-haired, and her skin seemed of an Asian descent but her facial features gave away that she was Indian right of the back. She came off as most bitchy and very butch, not really the type who folded there legs to often. Her features were of the super athletic type, every muscle well tightened, thin stomach and well developed curves, not betrayed by over eating and lack of exercise. The several tattoos of plain animals, like the African plain animals long extinct like the tiger, the elephant, the lion around her arms and her red, white green, and yellow beaded earring added to her mystique. She had to be their leader and a damn good one at that. From there edge focused on the girl next to her. Her friend, the one next to her own right was of the squeaky type. She was definitely Asian, most likely of Chinese descent, her eyes and round cheeks gave that away. She was a less muscular version of her Indian friend, and sported exotic silver hair and a nicer body than the other five in the bar. She seemed to be the brains of the group probably the girl that held the three together. Prompt and well pronounced when she spoke, she seemed to be extremely polite. All in all the three seemed to be a tight bunch, but neither of the women that were talking, the Indian or the Chinese girl, sounded like Sharon at all. To make each of them all the more intriguing, the three of them were all still dressed in the standard earth government metallic gray uniforms, common to those serving in the mobile infantry division. Those women were pilots all right, and most assuredly one of them had to be Sharon, and since the two on the right side of the table didn't sound like Sharon, it had to be quiet girl. 

Sure in his deductions, Edge pushed further past the bar keeping a warm stead gaze on the girl he had called red. Eager, he scooted his way past some of the other men standing in his path. His boot steps were silenced in the pure noise that had picked up in the bar. "Sharon" he shouted tying to pierce through the noise. The red head glanced over at Edge briefly, but she quickly turned her attention back towards her company.  "She must not have heard or something" Edge believed.  Edge finally neared the table really, close, and began to repeat his call again, but then suddenly heard a loud crash. The sound originated from edge's right, next to the bathroom.  The raven glanced over behind him looking for some indication, and quickly found something, something of which that surprised him. On the nicely finished wooden floor beneath him, was a short red haired girl who looked like she couldn't have been older than nineteen, with her eyes, deep blue reflecting the ceiling light, and trapped in surprise stare towards him. _Oh no did I trip her?_ Edge didn't know whether to be embarrassed for him or for the young girl. 

"Are you ok?" Edge asked feeling worried, and still in shock

"I'm doing ok, lucky I'm not an old bastard like you, roboboy or I might not be getting up right now." The girl said.

"Sharon?" Edge asked.

"Yeah, Edge" she snapped sarcastically.

Edge couldn't help but laugh at the situation. The girl he had spent nearly five minutes searching for had been in the bathroom the whole time while he had been slowly deducting who she was. He only found her after she collapsed onto the floor. Edge paused in his laughter, which Sharon shared with him, to help pull the girl up gently by her hands. They walked carefully to an open table midway through the tavern.  The two of them sat down, each of them lightly situating themselves, Edge placing his bike helmet down, Sharon brushing dirt off her clothes. Before they both took a seat, Edge subconsciously began to check Sharon's features from the waist. She was very pretty for her small petite figure that was well accented by the studded jeans she wore over her thin legs and the tiny blue shirt she wore that hugged her nice curves around her stomach. To fit with whole tavern theme though as not to seem out of place she wore and torn jean material sleeveless vest. She was casual and very energetic, as she seemed to literally bounce around in her chair and carried herself like she hadn't lived in the city too long. She was everything Edge thought she was, but tall.

"Hmm you know Edge you're pretty cute for someone so grizzled. Your file picture didn't do you justice." Sharon said, smiling beamingly, her country voice in full twang.

"You're shorter, for someone with your voice. " Edge cut back

"How so, you expected me to sound like some chipmunk?  It's crazy I know but I inherit that from my Dad's side" Sharon said her defense waving her hand.

"No, it's just that all the women I know with a sultry voice like you are about my height. There's nothing wrong with your voice at all it gives you character." Edge replied brightly.

Thanks, for buttering me up Edge, I was beginning to feel kind of dry. I see you're really desperate for a cigarette and 40 ounce, don't worry I didn't forget our bet. " Sharon said, as she blinked an eye

"Huh I didn't win the bet.  The foreign secretary was killed." Edge whispered in surprise.

"That wasn't in the bet, the number of Indies you could dispatch in five minutes was though. " Sharon said bending over the table with a devilishly cute grin. "You deserve these." Sharon dove and a hand into her to right fest pocket, struggling until she pulled out of package of unired regulars. She lightly tossed the small package over at Edge. As he caught them, he felt pitied, but accept the cigarettes right into his pocket.

"Thanks, Sharon," Edge replied, smiling "Speaking of which has the bureau's forensics team been able to find anything on who or what was responsible for dispatching the Foreign Minister yet?" 

"No they haven't finished analyzing all the data yet. If you ask me though I was thinking it could have been a person rather than mecha, but it's incredibly hard to prove. We didn't find any traces of any other terrorists in there." Sharon recalled very

"Nor did I, all of the terrorist who invaded the facility were in mecha units. That explains why I had so much luck dispatching them, they were all just big targets." Edge added. 

"So that leaves only one option then, there was a stealth unit in that facility." Sharon said, tapping her hand against the table.

"That's a biggie there, but still my bio sensor would have shown something. That's the one draw back to current stealth technology. Plus the only existing technology out there is sensor stealth, not optical. The Indies aren't capable of that." Edge contended

"Not if the area was vented with hot steam it wouldn't, bio sensors don't hold up that well under humidity. It's one of their major design flaws. " She argued

Edge suddenly felt beaten_. "How could I have forgotten that, the furnace temperature and the steam must have wreaked havoc with my sensors. That would leave anyone else pretty much open to do anything". _Edge pondered. __

"Hmm, you keep up pretty well" Edge said, his voice trailing slyly.

"Thanks for the complement, that reminds me, Edge, your ac does have visual recording system on it, does it not?" Sharon asked teeming with politeness

"Yeah it doubles has an auto mapper, but I always rig it for recording. Shit, I know what you're getting at, but I was so pissed yesterday at the entire situation I didn't even look at the disc." Edge yelled thinking aloud.

"Oh well, I was going to try and see if you had missed anything. It might help have helped us to look at the tape for an type of heat distortions within the steam." Sharon replied regretfully.

"Well don't worry about it, your bastard Lieutenant already had the disc taken for your bureau's records. They're probably figuring something out now." Edge replied irritably.

"You're right.  You know Chalthu isn't that bad, when he isn't forced to let some hotshot ac pilot take complete control of the situation, he can actually be pretty normal.  Besides, you were taking way to long to get in to that facility anyway." Sharon replied, mockingly pointing at Edge

 "Chalthu, had it out for me from the start. He could have been hyped on some typed of happiness pill and still hated me. The guy just doesn't take to lightly to ravens, like most of you government types." Edge laughed

The operator waved over the only waitress on duty that afternoon and ordered two beers. After a few moments of mild gabbing about armored cores and life in the bureau, the waitress returned with two beers tapped off with the light amount of foam that Edge favored. He had discovered plenty of interesting things about Sharon, she was a huge arena fan and supposedly it had a huge underground following amongst many bureau officers. She also told him about many of bar patrons seated around the front stools.   Most of them were actually a bunch of retired MT jocks whom seemed to enjoy the bar because it' looked like bars from the early days of the Mars Terraforming. It was the last thing remaining from a past many people didn't remember. She also been trying repeatedly to transfer into an armored core division but had little success. Her enthusiasm about mechs though, was she shined, talked about hem mostly using her hands and seemed to know her stuff well. This part of her interested him. 

Edge sipped on the local brew light trying to get a taste for it while Sharon easily downed a third of it. It had a nice smell and seemed almost if the brew had some type of citrus in it, but Edge simple shrugged any further thoughts of it. It was soothing and didn't taste like crap, that's all that mattered

"So Edge, how did a sweet old bastard like yourself become single?" Sharon asked, staring at Edge with a flirtatious look, She seemed to be trying to most certainly match eyes with Edge. He could tell she was interested him for more than just the legend.  Edge found her to be attractive, but wasn't entirely into the operator; she seemed too young, and felt like she was in completely world apart from him.  Answering the question wasn't something he felt like doing much either. It was too deep, opening fissures in the solid barrier his psyche created, and tearing through instantly to his lost Samantha. Suddenly depression had begun to settle into him again, he wanted to leave, but felt he had to stay and humor the person he called there. He couldn't blame Sharon though for what happened and felt he had answer to excited flirtatious glare with the truth. She certainly didn't' seem ready for it 

"You could say I'm sort of male widow. My wife died during that Indie uprising in Old Zam five years ago."

"I'm sorry I mentioned it" Sharon said.

"No, don't worry about it, you're like me, having to know and analyze everything. It can be quite a burden sometimes." Edge began to preach down a third of his glass 

"So did you become of Raven because your wife had died" Sharon asked, her mood diminishing

"No, I was raven about five years before all of that, but I can say that I don't feel sorry for the Indies much because of the whole thing." he said

"Bitter too" she replied laughing

"No, lack of a sex life, and a crappy nine to five job makes someone bitter, An astute sense of observation, in a dangerous paramilitary job makes someone edgy " he agreed, 

"But, full of surprises, and an intact sense of humor nonetheless." Sharon said happily

"Yeah, you could say that" he replied calmly

Sharon's mood was surprising to Edge, instead of quieting herself after he told her about Samantha, she continue to speak with about the same energy she had when they started.  "_She dodged Samantha fairly well, yet she doesn't seem jealous, or unwilling to talk now either, it's like it doesn't bother her, strange for someone her age."_ Edge thought.

"Wow speaking of Edgy, I could really go for a unired right now you coming with me?" Sharon asked

"Hey now you're speaking my language, kid." Edge hummed

"Hey I'm no kid you know, I'm twenty-five for your information" Sharon yelled

"Well you certainly could have fooled me, you're a still kid to me though" Edge 

"What do you mean by that?" Sharon asked, her voice pitching as if she was offended

"I'm thirty four." Edge answered calmly

"Yikes" Sharon squeaked.

"Don't worry though I'm sure your overwhelming female sense of maturity makes you more like thirty". Edge reassured Sharon as he threw his arm over her shoulder.

The two newly found friends made their way out to the front of the tavern pushing their way back the out of the plushy timely wood furnished tavern to the outside. Stepping through the door Edge found the nicely overcast gray urban neighborhood to be completely drowned out by a harsh gloomy rain that began while he looked for Sharon inside the tavern. Despite the darkness caste upon the world outside, Edge felt his spirits had become higher, as he had left bar to smoke with Sharon.  The two of them huddled under an awning alongside the building.  He smoked for the purpose of connecting socially with her than the unireds calming effects. After spending a few more moments with the short red head, he had begun to realize that he indeed had things that had to get done back at Arc. 

"Damn it, I have to go Sharon. The blade needs repairs and I have to be there to sign off on all of them." Edge stated, his voice fighting the raining beating above him.

"I see" Sharon said taking the cigarette out of her mouth slowly. "Maybe I should stop by later, get to check the old girl out. Who knows, maybe this old girl can get it to run better." She said. Edge still facing her, Sharon grabbed edge by the shoulders and kissed him gently on the cheek. Edge pushed himself not the blush, but forced out a smile.   The kiss had caught him off guard. 

"Yeah that and something else" Edge murmured

"See I knew you were a pervert Edge. All grizzled old bastards are" Sharon laughed, loudly

 Edge parted from the operator and ran across the street to where had parked his motorcycle. He dawned his helmet, while he was looking back at Sharon who braced her against the cold with one arm as she puffed away at the cigarette with her other.  He smiled at her and tossed his cigarette aside its heated ashes quickly becoming washed away from beating rain. He started up the cycle, and flipped up the cycle's kickstand, he throttled the bike for show and loudly roared off down the street. He couldn't help but feel that he might indeed hold a unique destiny with Sharon. His thoughts pondered this as he made his way back to the large transport elevator.

***

 Leka pondered over the irony that her employer had presented to her over the past few weeks, while she waited for direct news of yet another job. 

She was speechless, she had not only been out on four jobs within the last month for him, but they had all been to kill ravens: dangerous but treacherous, and unskilled ones at that.  Her challenges had begun to slowly dwindle in her career as a pilot and se began to realize two things: she was either getting the low-end milk run jobs or perhaps she had become a greater pilot than many once envisioned her. The latter she had begun to believe.

A woman of African descent, Leka stood stiffly, yet seemed comfortable outside the office of her employer, General Marks, hero of the Earth Government and current preceding Isaac Bureau Chief. Her combat ready appearance in the military office setting was awkward. She was still fully suited in her combat gear, a white and purple jumpsuit that matched her ac colors and a pair of large square shaped pilot goggles that she hung over her shimmering silver hair.  The government workers on the floor shuffled past her looking at the tall soldier in awe. Even though she knew that she would leave almost immediately for her next job she felt this time it probably wouldn't even be worth a clothes change. She was a Zealot, engrossed in the idea of a non-corporate society completely under open government rule.    

Leka held great patience with the man, as waited for him outside of his office door. She knew the importance of Marks' position and didn't pretend at all to be his keeper. The General held too much respect under her eyes.  She was like a child waiting for her father to come home after a long trip. Her relationship with the General was just like that. Leka's love for him though was silent; she didn't want to confirm the rumors about their relationship growing within the brass especially, since her father, another Earth Government General, Marks good friend, had died as the previous Bureau Chief.  Marks was Leka's protector, lord, and savior; the one person she felt true loyalty to. Marks also entrusted with her with one of most dangerous and important job in the government, a job as a top-level government solider, a hunter.  Whenever Leka thought back to this harsh responsibility, she didn't grumble in self-pity, instead she stood tall and smiled warmly.  She knew it to be her job, why be bitter about it when it something she chose to do. Leka knew the man to her right though didn't think of the job in the same light.  

 He was bulky Caucasian man who sported sunglasses and held grizzled hunters flair. She knew the man has Sniper, but most people knew him by his raven call sign Daemon.  They both knew each other as raven hunters or ravens hired by the government to hunt down the earth government's most dangerous criminals out laws, or political terrorists. Leka though was different she hadn't even taken a job that wasn't with the Earth Government. Sniper however, from what Leka knew, was a highly regarded raven that left himself in reach of corporate employers. It was that view combined with his seething bitterness in his features that kept Leka from feeling any type of camaraderie with Daemon, and as such she didn't carry on conversation with him as she waited.

A few minutes short of the time they expected him, General Marks approached them, walking dutifully and keeping his composure as he carried a small folder with him into his office. Leka matched eyes with the General, returning the smile that emerged from the tanned Caucasian man. Leka followed in the General's wake with Daemon following behind. 

Leka was no stranger to Marks' office, the constant darkness that Marks left hanging in the room lowered her mood but never seemed frightening to her. It was a place she found herself returning to since the beginning of her adolescent years. Marks was a definite neat freak; he was not one to leave any of his paper work out on the front of desk, or on top of the small row of file cabinets behind it. He walked behind his desk thumbing through a folder of paper work, most likely looking for some mission specific stuff. She stood in full military attentive stance while Daemon stood at ease.  She found his lax, undisciplined nature to be quite irritable, and cringed." _He should learn to respect a military officer_." Leka shrieked in herself. Alas she knew his status as a civilian excluded him from having to do such.  

"Ok, both you may take a seat this won't be too long" Marks ordered nonchalantly.

"Yes, General" The two ravens said in tandem as they took at seat in the chairs facing him.

"You both know the horrible abduction and assassination of the Foreign Secretary yesterday morning, correct." he asked the both of them, while he tapped a gold pen he had picked up from his desk. 

"Yes" Leka replied, at the same time surprised at Daemon's silence. News of the Foreign Minister death had gotten out quick amongst all the media types. Leka knew, because she watched it on the holovision on board the dropship flight to Neo Isaac.

"We've have reason to believe that the Raven we hired to defuse the abduction operation went AWOL and was responsible in destroying the target. His name is…" Marks began to say

"Edge" Daemon finished.

"Yes, Daemon, or might I say sniper, I believe you two know each other." Marks said.

"We go back as far as six years ago, I knew the guy when he still seemed pretty green, I can't believe the idiot decided to go to work for the Indies. He must have found himself out of work. Despite anything I say about him though, the guys a freaking combat genius, a demon in freaking tin can. This is a hard target you're giving us General." Daemon loudly. He seemed to be excited about the new target but something about Daemon when he spoke of Edge seemed unnatural to Leka. She believed the two, hunter and target, had a sense of respect. _His knowledge of this Edge seems helpful, but_ _I'm not sure of their relationship, I certainly won't be putting trust in Sniper on this one._

"Well, the brass sees your knowledge of Edge to be crucial to his apprehension, and wants you two dispatched to go after him immediately. This is to be a clean job; no mistakes are to be made on this one. The brass wants this guy hauled off to a prison at Earth Central and on a freaking cross by next week. I expect only your best." Marks preached.

"Any suggestions on where to look, sir?" Leka asked, emotionless. 

Marks smiled grimly, and shoved a large photograph of a large building, across the table towards Leka.  Daemon glanced over.  Leka barely noticed that there were three photographs attached to it. One of an emblem most like the emblem of Edge's armored core, some pictures of the inside of the building which seemed to be filled with ac 's and maintenance equipment. Leka easily identified it has a type of armored core garage.

"I recognize this, place it's the Heaven Arc, some dive of an AC garage in south Isaac." Daemon said.

"Yes, according to Intel, he's known to bide most of his time here. So this would most certainly be a perfect opportunity to disarm him and bring him in." Marks added.

"Hmm, don't worry about it, sir we'll get him alright, but I can't promise he'll come back in one piece." Daemon replied as looked from some notes. He finished up some notes he entered into his PDA and stood up from chair and began making his way out the door. Leka stood up with him ready to go but a question within her bothered her and she couldn't dare ask it Daemons presence. She waited for the door to completely close before stopping Marks.

"Leka, do you have a question?" Marks asked, raising his eyes from his notes

"Sir, I have but one question, don't you believe that the relationship between Sniper and Edge might jeopardize this mission." Leka asked

"It's a good question for you to ask my dear, but I feel that you have their relationship entirely wrong Daemon revels in his rivalry with Edge, but indeed hates him. Edge destroyed Daemon's life in the past, but it's more complicated than that, needless to say though Sniper will only be more motivated. You have no reason to worry, Leka" Marks answered.

Leka nodded and careful began to motion toward the door until, suddenly Marks called to her.

"You're smart, Leka I expect for you to do this job with same grace you have showed us before." Marks said, his voice full of trusting sincerity.

 Leka nodded and left the room. She couldn't help, but feel full of purpose again in that moment. With her mentor's words fresh in her mind, Leka darted off down the hall in attempt to catch up with Sniper. " _Yet another job given to me by the general, yet another chance to prove myself and save the world one traitor at a time. I will not fail." _Leka promised her self.

=-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Voice actress of Sharon- Wow This Leka chick seems pretty determined, and Sniper an old rival of Edge is after him too. Our hero knows little of the world that approaches, him and the coming danger that lies in wait. Will Edge be able to hold off the impending onslaught, and misguided souls that seek to destroy him?  We'll find out in two weeks hopefully in A high stakes game Deck Four: The Hunt

_I _


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